B.C. HYDRO COULD HELP BUST GROW-OPS

MLA Suffredine Supports Solicitor General's Push To Have Utility Help In
Cracking Down On Pot Growers

The number of marijuana grow-ops in the province could be reduced if BC
Hydro was enabled to share their customers' billing information with
police, says local MLA Blair Suffredine.

Last week, Solicitor General Rich Coleman urged BC Hydro to help police in
their battle against drugs. He asked the Crown corporation to turn
information over to the authorities when customers have unusually high
power bills, which may indicate a possible grow operation in the residence.

Suffredine said he's generally supportive of Coleman's request, but says it
would first require legislative changes. BC Hydro is bound by the
Information and Protection of Personal Privacy Act not to divulge
customer's billing information with anyone.

"I recognize that BC Hydro is in a difficult position to release the
information voluntarily," he said.

Suffredine said similar provisions to what is included under the Income Tax
Act could be applied to this case. By doing so, police would be able to
access billing information as part of their investigative process. If the
information provided to police would be kept confidential if it didn't
result in a charge.

The MLA says if BC Hydro could come on board, it would be an effective way
to crack down on grows.

"Grow-ops are often easily detected by the patterns in the power," said
Suffredine.

When the MLA was formerly a narcotic prosecution agent, Suffredine said
they would often use power consumption records in support of search warrant
application because they could show dramatic increases in power at times of
the year when there was no logical basis for it.

"There's certainly reasonable evidence that we can get from them," he said.

Suffredine said the solicitor general is considering legislative changes to
enable BC Hydro to divulge information with authorities as a tool to reduce
the number of grow operations in the province.

When the local MLA was asked whether or not the Nelson-Creston riding has a
problem with grows in his area he responded; "There's a problem with
marijuana grow-ops all through British Columbia."

Suffredine said it's "hard to tell" if the local area has more operations
than in other areas.

"We certainly have the reputation that we do," he said. "But I'm not able
to go out there and say I've seen them. I haven't."

The Nelson Daily News could not reach the Nelson City Police for comment.